3 Tips to Neighborly Lawn Etiquette

We've all seen those lawns. Yep, the one house on the cul-de-sac that looks like it could house safari animals. Don't get me wrong, we're not saying that his lawn should look like a PGA golf course. But, mowing every once in a while and keeping the flower beds in decent shape would be nice. How do you open the conversation? Politely. There's no sense in pride or rudeness getting in the way of a perfectly good neighbor relationship. After all, you're stuck next to each other until one of you moves. And there are many OTHER ways he can make your life miserable besides a messy lawn if the tension grows. To prevent that, we're offering 3 tips to help you help your neighbor!

#1 - Look at it as exercise!

Summer is brutal, especially here in Tennessee. What a great way to get a couple of hours of exercise? Mow the lawn, then do some picking up. Pose it to your neighbor this way, "Hey John, this weather is brutal! I get more sweat out doing yard work than 30 minutes on the treadmill! Want to join me next Saturday then have a beer after?" For some folks, there has to be comradery and a payoff. They like to know that other people don't necessarily love yard work either. And if you guys can tackle yard work at the same time and have a cool beverage after, it's a win-win. And you just might be surprised and learn something about him or lawn care in general.

#2 - Make it a fun family affair

Invite your neighbor to participate in a "family fun day" outside in your lawn. They will take notice that you prepped the lawn (because you actually care what it looks like) so that it is all nice and tidy. Set out some outdoor games or create your own, and serve some snacks and drinks. The hope is that they will see how fun and useful it is to have a nice-looking lawn. Here's the slightly sneaky part. While you're all out having fun, "accidentally" kick a ball into your neighbors yard. Hopefully this could at least start the conversation.

#3 - Be generous

The reality is, you don't know what's going on in their home. Are they having a family crisis and the lawn is suffering? Do they travel for work and are rarely home? Are they just too busy and haven't gotten around to it? You never know. What to do? Offer to help. "Hey Tim, I'm going to Home Depot this weekend to pick up some weed killer and mulch, do you need anything? These weeds have taken over this season!" In the end, $15 in mulch or weed killer is not going to break the bank and it just might be the good deed that pushes him to make his lawn a priority. To take it a step further, actually do some of the work for him. Mulch his flower beds, or give his lawn a good mowing. Get the family involved! Doing nice things for neighbors is always a teachable moment for children.

How you actually carry out the above tips is based on your current standings with your neighbor. Natural lawn care and lawn management is a passion of Pure Green, but we also love seeing neighbors helping each other and building lasting friendships. Remember to always take to road of politeness over being rude and unsympathetic. Neighborhood karma is bound to come back around!